King Beast - Vicious Flames

Chapter 21

AN/ what do you think of the above version for a cover? eheh ;)

Sipping on a cup of hot tea, I slightly burned my tongue in the process. The lone, thick glass window in the opposite wall, covered with animal skin instead of shutters, offered a view. The ashy clouds blanketing the sky made it challenging to discern the time of day.

I jumped onto the bed, wide enough to host a small village, with blue satin sheets. The room dwarfed my parents'home, boasting walls and floors matching the color of the bedsheets. Chandeliers were lit with the same blue fire.

Zerberus's fire.

"Urgh, he never leaves me alone!" I huffed as I looked around once again after making sure no fat worm was spying on me. The furniture, including the bedframe, was crafted from what seemed to be solid gold. Only one tapestry adorned a wall, depicting a great black dragon with white eyes. I found it hideous.

Bored and exhausted, I tucked myself in and drifted off to sleep, imagining him showing up. Shouldn't he want to see me or sleep with me? Didn't he say he would?

The night I experienced hauntingly beautiful nightmares, my mind swirling with vivid images of the scaly blue dragon. Silver eyes with a red rim in the middle hunted me, a horned man with silvery hair flowing around me, trapped me and then a fanged mouth appeared and fell inside, in a screaming pleasure.

Sometime during the night, I shivered enough to wake up. I felt Zerberus put his arm around me, pulling me toward his scaly warmth, urging me to drift back into the cocoon of sparks.

I smiled over that fanciful dream, and I fell asleep again.

Once I woke up, nobody was there, the side next to me neatly done, confirming that Zerberus had never been there. (AN/ he had been XD)

Four maids attended to my needs the next day. Their clothing looked traditional, with muted colors and simple scaly patterns around the edges, and their hair was neatly tied back.

None of them spoke to me or made eye contact. Frustration building, I couldn't resist trying to engage them.

"Will you lose your tongue if you say a word to me?" I joked.

None of them answer. Instead, they efficiently carried a tray with food, a clean outfit, and a wooden bath filled with steaming water.

Each girl had a designated task. Girl number one lifted the lid to reveal baked bread, a bowl of berries, and some meat and cheeses and arranged the table for my meal. Girl number two and three focused on preparing the bath, adding rose soap and various oils, while girl number four changed the sheets and tidied up the room.

"I slept well!" I announced, breaking the silence, startling them. "Thank you for doing this for me. You don't need to, you know. I know the crazy Lord ordered you to, but—"

They stiffened, freezing for a moment, then continued with their tasks as if I hadn't spoken. "But well, thanks anyway."

The maids exited the room in a disciplined row, bowing but avoiding eye contact.

After devouring every item on the tray, I luxuriated in the bath until the warm water turned cold. I watched as my fingers and toes became more wrinkled.

I didn't feel the least bit calmer after the bath. My mind was consumed with worry. I wanted to scream in boredom yet weep with fear too. The only reason I didn't do either was that I couldn't make up my mind.

The following days blurred into a monotonous routine. It felt like living in a loop, trapped in the same day over and over again. The cycle consisted of regular meals, a change of sheets every day, and a comforting warm bath provided without fail. Fergus guided me through various parts of the imposing castle, sharing tidbits of information before leaving me in my room. Despite exploring new areas, the overall atmosphere of the castle remained dreary. Everyone else avoided eye contact and took wide breadths when meeting me, all while still bowing.